The Everlasting Brief Change

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Nov 27, 2011

Yep. All it takes is a few people from each shift to complain on a regular basis, and things become tense and people actually start being passive-aggressive and making everything worse.

Sometimes it helps to ask one of the ones who doesn't complain about everything what you can do to make things better for them, because I think a lot of the time the people that complain are not bringing up the real reason. Like I know one time a girl from my shift (1st) complained that the garbage cans didn't have any liners and made them stay and fix that when what actually ticked her off was that they were sitting around in the residents' wheelchairs when we got there but no one was dressed. But harping on them is not going to make them want to dress people next time.

Glenna, LPN · Nov 29, 2011

Yep. All it takes is a few people from each shift to complain on a regular basis, and things become tense and people actually start being passive-aggressive and making everything worse.
Sometimes it helps to ask one of the ones who doesn't complain about everything what you can do to make things better for them, because I think a lot of the time the people that complain are not bringing up the real reason. Like I know one time a girl from my shift (1st) complained that the garbage cans didn't have any liners and made them stay and fix that when what actually ticked her off was that they were sitting around in the residents' wheelchairs when we got there but no one was dressed. But harping on them is not going to make them want to dress people next time.

I agree with what fuzzywuzzy was saying. I used to work the evening shift in LTC. I understood that some of these residents could be wet when I came on shift and I would check everyone and change them if needed. The ones that made me upset was when you could tell they weren't changed during their rounds. You can tell. Anyway, at the end of my shift I had to do 10pm rounds. I've had times where nightshift would scream out and pull the resident out of bed and made me change them before I left. Come to find out she was lazy and would sleep during her shift.

I came up with something that would help cover my butt because I got sick of that nightshift person doing what she did to me...I would carry around Mr. Sharpie and I would write the time I changed them on it to prove that I did do my rounds and changed them when they needed to be.

Poi Dog · Nov 29, 2011

Your coworkers are being jerks.

karamarie91 · Nov 29, 2011

I make sure the person covering my next assignment is there while I am still finishing the last person on my rounds. If I know a certain resident tends to be a heavy or frequent wetter, I check on them last. That way you can't say that I didn't do my rounds.

Either the next shift is always gonna complain if anything goes wrong within 30 minutes of you leaving.

yousoldtheworld · Nov 29, 2011

Ugh, this is one of the things that drives me crazy. While I agree that you can tell when someone hasn't been changed in a long time and that it is unacceptable to come in to people soaked and unchanged, we also work with incontinent people - it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to always make sure they are all completely dry at one time.

SoCalCrystal, CNA · Nov 29, 2011

I came up with something that would help cover my butt because I got sick of that nightshift person doing what she did to me...I would carry around Mr. Sharpie and I would write the time I changed them on it to prove that I did do my rounds and changed them when they needed to be.

GENIUS!!!! :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN · Nov 30, 2011

GENIUS!!!! :yeah:

+1! :lol2:

Need to remember a Sharpie when I'm working LTC! Thanks!

Aeyre · Nov 30, 2011

Rounds at shift change are meant to ensure that every resident is receiving the care that they need and prevent pressure sores. Not to catch someone not doing their jobs. Rounds should be done together, so when someone is found needing a brief change, both CNA's can help and get the job done quicker. So next time they say so and so needs a brief change, say "could you please come help me?" or if you happen to catch them walking in the door at start of shift say, "lets do rounds together, so I know exactly what would help you out with your shift."

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Nov 30, 2011

Rounds at shift change are meant to ensure that every resident is receiving the care that they need and prevent pressure sores. Not to catch someone not doing their jobs. Rounds should be done together, so when someone is found needing a brief change, both CNA's can help and get the job done quicker. So next time they say so and so needs a brief change, say "could you please come help me?" or if you happen to catch them walking in the door at start of shift say, "lets do rounds together, so I know exactly what would help you out with your shift."

You can make sure everyone is changed during your shift, on your own time. I don't see how looking down everyone's pants 5 minutes before the off-going shift goes home (rather than 5 minutes after they leave) actually makes a difference. The only thing that does is cause friction between the 2 shifts. People don't suddenly become continent just because shifts are changing over, which is why it does make the off-going shift feel like the on-coming people ARE trying to "catch them not doing their jobs."

I never badger the off-going shift about people being wet. They've put in their 8 hours and are ready to go home. It's my job to check all my residents, reposition them, and change if necessary. Why would I waste my time walking around looking for people to be wet when I'm supposed to be doing that after my shift begins anyway? Then I'd just look like a whiny jerk who's trying to get out of doing my job.

When you discover someone is wet, you change them. It's 90% of a CNA's job, and it happens all day and night. I don't see what the big deal is if it happens close to shift change. Maybe if bells and whistles started going off every time someone wet their pants it would be different but most of the time the previous CNA already changed them less than an hour before and doesn't know.

divaINscrubs · Nov 30, 2011

I have been at my facility for 2 years and worked every shift. you will ALWAYS have someone complain about the shift that worked before them. i would say just check ur heavy wetters last.